Ole in? Ole out? Jumping to conclusions is what this week has been all about.

We are only five matches into the new campaign but already an outspoken minority of Manchester United fans are using social media to spew negativity after a seismic summer of change.

United lured Jadon Sancho back to the Premier League for £35million less than was demanded a year ago, convinced Raphael Varane to reject the captaincy at Real Madrid in favour of a new challenge and then completed a sensational swoop to seal Cristiano Ronaldo from under the noses of Man City.

When you lay it all out in black and white it hard to see what all the fuss is about? Sure, United were dreadful in defeat to Young Boys in midweek but their first off-day of the new season was further exploited by two costly individual errors.

In another world United might well have escaped Bern with points on the table, perhaps only papering over the cracks to delay their first disappointment of the season, but at least ridding Solskjaer from some of the negativity which has been directed at him in the last few days.

'Negative' is not a word associated with Solskjaer and while there have been regular underwhelming displays on the pitch the baby-faced assassin has continued to grin and insist good times are just around the corner.

At every press conference he will sprinkle buzzwords such as 'progress' and 'momentum' into the conversation while lamenting the 'fine margins' which cost his side, neglecting to mention their tactical failings and often one-dimensional attacking play.

After every poor result it is easy to dismiss Solskjaer as an elite manager and make a list of the things he can't do, but when United succeed the conversation is so often about individual talents rather than any input from the club legend.

Solskjaer is often dismissed because of his personable man-management approach but there can be no ignoring it as one of his greatest talents and a key reason why United are steadily improving under his guidance.

Players feel valued in the first-team squad and now have clarity on their own development plans from a manager who himself had to deal with such uncertainty throughout his time at the club. Solskjaer's own injury issues put him in a great position to sympathise with sidelined stars and he knows exactly what to say in order to get the best from the individuals at his disposal.

One such example could come this weekend with his treatment of Jesse Lingard as he looks to bounce back from the midweek mistake which saw Jordan Siebatcheu latch on to a dire back pass and condemn United to defeat in their Champions League opener.

Solskjaer insists Lingard would have been in the starting line up for United's first match of the season against Leeds if not for a positive Covid diagnosis, perhaps giving him such a role against his former loan side on Sunday would be the perfect response?

Despite serious interest from West Ham in a permanent deal for Lingard it was United manager Solskjaer who ruled out a move, contacting manger David Moyes early in the summer to rule out a sale.

Lingard's issue is that even at his best he is very much an understudy for United this season, offering an energetic alternative to Bruno Fernandes in the attacking midfield role or by cutting inside from the left wing if Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford or Jadon Sancho aren't fancied instead.

Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

This weekend there is no clear logic to put Lingard in either role from the beginning, though when it comes to man-management and rebuilding confidence there is mitigation to bend such rules.

Even if Lingard is selected on the bench instead it would be wise of Solskjaer to bring him on to the pitch in order to feel the love from both sets of supporters and regain the self-belief which might well have taken a knock in Switzerland this week.

If not for his final performances at the London Stadium last season, West Ham would not have been on their own European away trip this midweek and when the teams are announced on Sunday afternoon the 28-year-old deserves recognition from everyone in the stadium.

Lingard, like Solskjaer, was unfairly slammed for a rare off-day in midweek, but the true test of greatness is not in playing it safe but by bouncing back from those mistakes.